City Oks Study For Bicycle Bridge

LAKE FOREST — The Lake Forest City Council has asked an engineering firm to investigate building a bicycle and pedestrian bridge or underpass to provide safe crossing of U.S. Highway 41.

Residents west of U.S. 41 near Old Elm Road have expressed concern about the safety of crossing the highway, said Ken Leone, deputy director of public works.

Leone told the City Council on Monday that a bridge or underpass near Old Elm Road would provide a safe crossing over the highway, connect neighborhoods, and link the new Skokie Valley Bike Trail to the McClory Trail to the east.

The City Council voted Monday to award the engineering feasibility study to Edwards and Kelcey of Chicago.

The $39,000 agreement includes a conceptual engineering design and a latent demand study, which will predict the traffic once a crossing is built.

Leone said the firm's demand study will be crucial in determining whether the crossing is needed.

The feasibility study, which will be completed over the next four to five months, is being funded by a $50,000 Illinois FIRST grant.